TOG ??s - Original Sources & Canadian Users

[SnMomof7]

Hi Folks!

 

I have a couple of quick questions re: TOG. We are currently using SL, but I'm only formally educating my oldest. I already have 4 on the ground, so I can see that things will likely need to change as I fold more dc into the mix.

 

I reviewed TOG Y1U1 DE when DD #1 was younger and it was just like...WOW, way too much for us (and I wasn't at all ready to customize at that point in time, I think a hard copy would also help.) So in a way, I'm surprised I'm asking :tongue_smilie:.

 

So, two questions.

 

1. Does TOG start to incorporate original source documents for history in the rhetoric years? I love the idea of doing this, but it is kind of overwhelming to me since I'm not too good at planning...and I definitely need hand holding for this.

 

2. For years 3 and 4, is it heavy American content? I'm a Canadian, and I'm not sure how this would work out for us? Any Canadian TOGers want to chime in here? I'm thinking we'd need to take gap years to just do Canadian history, making more like a ...5 year cycle? Thoughts?

 

Thanks!

[kchara]

TOG starts using original documents in D, I think, for some things, and by R is using mostly original. AFA being in Canada... I think and I could be wrong, that I saw a board on the TOG forums specifically for families using TOG in other countries. Yes, it does get US-specific around the end of Y2, when it starts on colonial America. (I think it takes you through the American Revolution that year, from looking at the resource list, but I'm not there yet, so not 100% sure... hopefully someone else can chime in.)

[Guest]

I will take a stab at your second question. I have been at the TOG forums to see what Canadian users have to say and I did not find much. The posts are very rare. From what I have been reading (I have not spent enough time on our Year 2 and 3 plans) the US content (as expected) is very high there, starting half way through year 2. Personally, I have toyed with doing additional Canadian content separate (possibly using Donna Ward's programs) and have decided that it would just be too much. I am just going to get MHTCE and will add Canadian content with TOG while studying that period, while reducing some of the American History focus. Not sure how I will go about it yet so I can't give you details but that is the only way I think that it will work for what I want to do for history. I like the way TOG goes through history in order and want to stick to that so I have decided against dedicating a year on Canadian history. This was another reason why I walked away from SL. Personally, I prefer doing history in order.

Edited February 21, 2011 by Guest

[SnMomof7]

Thanks Kristi and Marie!

 

I too, ideally want to do all of history - Canada included - chronologically, but I don't know if I have the planning skills to pull it off.

 

Seems all the good cycle-based history programs are very US-centric. I definitely want the dc to learn US history, just not SO much :).

[Guest]

Thanks Kristi and Marie!

 

I too, ideally want to do all of history - Canada included - chronologically, but I don't know if I have the planning skills to pull it off.

 

Seems all the good cycle-based history programs are very US-centric. I definitely want the dc to learn US history, just not SO much :).

 

I hear ya and feel the same way :). I am also one of those that does not feel able (at this stage at least) to pull this off on my own. Planning is not a problem for me once I have the resources I want to use. This is where MHTCE should help. You can see preview pages in the website I linked. They are the publishers and seem to offer the best shipping for it. You will also see MHTCE mentioned on the SL forums quite a bit also. Just go the the Canadian History board.